Fabric-stretcher.



A. C. HANSON.

FABRIC STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2.1917. LDQSQZ'VQU Patented Sept, M, 1191"?.

ANDERS CONRAD HANSON, OF STANTON, IOWA.

FABBIC-STRETCHER.

rasa-ira. i

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. ilil, 1917.

Application led February 2, 1917. Serial No. 146,202.

10 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ANDERS CONRAD HAN- soN, a citizen of Sweden, residing at Stanton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fabric-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fabric stretchers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a stretcher for fabrics such as cloth, leather and wire screen, the same being especially serviceable for properly positioning wire screen upon a frame for securing the same thereto during the operation of manufacturing screens, such as window and door screens. c

A further object of the device is the provision of a tool having gripping jaws adapted for opening a limited extent for grasping a wire screen, an adjustable fulcruniing means being arranged for the device having a pivoted engaging member for contacting the frame of the screen being operated upon.

The present invention is an improvement over my prior Patent #1,156,597, dated October 12th, 1915, being designed for a similar object and amon the changes may be mentioned the provision of a means for resiliently maintaining the jaws open and the fulcrum member at the limit of its movement toward the jaws and the arrangement for grasping the handle portion of the device at a point intermediate the gripping jaws and the pivotal mount for the fulcrum member.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device partially broken away illustrated in its operative position in stretching wire screen upon a frame. Y

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.`

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrati ing a different form of fulcrum member, an

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the fulcrum member shown in Fig. 3 with the mounting end thereof shown in section.

The device being designed for stretching wire fabric upon a frame, the saine is herein illustrated in connection with a screen frame 10 having a wire screen 11 shown in the act of being attached thereto, the invention I broadly consisting of a pair of tongs 12 for engaging the screen 11 and having a pivoted fulcruin member 13 for bearing against the frame 10 during the operation of the device.

The tongs 12 consists of levers 14 and 15 hinged together as at 16 in a shears joint and provided with transversely grooved terminal jaws 17 and 18 respectively, adapted for gripping the screen 11, the jaw 17 having an abutment 19 for engaging a shoulder 2O of the lever 15 for limiting the opening movement of the jaws.

'The lever 15 has a right angle bend 21 slightly removed from the pivot point 16 and forming a rear extension 22 upon which a tubular handle 23 is sleeved, the saine being retained in the desired adjusted position by means of a set screw 24 carried by the said handle and adapted to engage the adjacent side of the extension 22. The companion lever 14 extends rearwardly within the angular bend of the lever 15 for grasping with the handle 23 for closing the gripping jaws upon the work, it being noted that the inner face of the lever 14 is grooved or concaved as at 25.

An advantageous form of fulcrum inember is employed with the device being illustrated at 13 in Fig. 1 of the drawing and a different forni thereof being illustrated at 26 in Fig. 3 thereof. The fulcrum member 13 is formed of two substantially semi-circular side sections 27 spaced apart by a bolt member 28 at a point intermediate their ends as well as by an anti-friction roller 30 journaled upon an adjustable axle 30 between the sections 27 at the free ends thereof, it being understood that the opposite ends of the sections 27 inclose a Jrtion of the handle 23 being hinged thereto by means of a bolt 31 journaled through depending lugs 32 carried by the said handle. In this manner, the fulcrum member 13 is pivoted to the handle 23 whereby the roller 30 may engage the edge of the frame 10 while the tongs are in the act of stretching the wire 11, the fulcrum sections 27 having fingers 33xV for overlying the upper edge of the frame 10 and spaced from the roller 30 during the operation of the device.

rThe axle 30 may be tightened when found desirable for binding the roller 30 preventing the movement thereof and thereby forming a cylindrical bearing block for engaging the work instead of an anti-friction roller.

The hinged bolt 31 is provided with a helical spring 34 mounted thereon and secured at one end thereof while the free end portionv 35 of the said spring rests within the groove 25 of the lever 14 ata point between the l said lever and the handle 23 whereby the tongs 12 are normally maintained in their open position while the fulcrum member 13 which is fixed to the bolt 31 is normally resiliently maintained at the limit of its movement toward the tongs 12 and with the shoulders 36 at the rear ends of the sections 27 into engagement with limiting screws 37 adjustably arranged through opposite side posts 38 at the rear end of the handle 23.

The construction of the fulcrum member 26 illustrated in Fig. 3 is identical with the member 13 heretofore described including the resilient member 34 for resiliently mounting the same upon the handle 23 but differs however, in the construction of the free end thereof which is adapted to bear against the frame 10. The spacing bolt 28 is arranged in an identical manner between the side sections 27 of the member 26 while a block 39 is pivoted by ,means of an adjustable axle 39 between the free ends of the sections 27', the saidblock having a serrated face 40 for contact with the edge` of the work to be operated upon. A screw 41 is adjustably arranged through the block 39 having a point 42 positioned in advance of the serrated face 40 while two spaced angularly projecting fingers 43 are carried by the block adapted for overlying the adjacent edge of the frame 10. A spring 44 encircles a brace 45 carried by rear extensions 46 of the block 39, the said spring having one end tensioned against the said block and its other end seated within a groove 47 of a movement limiting bolt 48 carried by the sections 27 and against which bolt 48 the spring 44 normally maintains the said block extensions 46.

The complete operation of the device will be apparent from this detailed description thereof in connection with the drawing, it being understood that the tool is preferably grasped by the handle 23 by the left hand of the operator and whereupon the tongs 12 are positioned in gripping engagement with the screen 11 while' the fulcrum member 13 is swung downwardly suiiicient to allow the the handle 23 with the tongs held in their closed position, the screen 11l is stretched to the desired extentwhile the same may be secured by the other hand of the operator before releasing the present stretching device from the work. When the fulcrum member 26 is employed the operation is substantially identical to that described, the fingers '43 engaging over the edge of the frame 10 and the point 42 and face 40 engaging the edge of the frame for temporarily retaining the fulcruming member in proper position for the operation of the tongs.

It will be evident that the present device although herein illustrated in connection with the stretching of wire screen, is equally serviceable for stretchingcloth, leather and similar materials, being adaptable for such purposes as the securing of coverings upon chairs, sofas and like articles. It will be also understood that while the present embodiment of the device is believed to be preferable, minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:-

1. A fabric stretcher comprising tongs, a fulcrum member attached to the tongs, means for limiting the movement of the fulcrum member toward the tongs, and a single means adapted for normally maintaining the a fulcrum member pivoted to the handle and surrounding the lever unprovided with said handle, and means for engaging two sides of the work positioned at the free end of the fulcrum member.

3. A fabric stretcher comprising tongs having operating levers, a tubular handle adjustably arranged upon one of said levers, a fulcrum member pivoted to the handle and surrounding the lever unprovided with'said handle, means carried by the free end of the fulcrum member engaging one edge of the work during the stretching operation, means for limiting the direction of movement in one direction of the aforesaid means, a spring adapted for normally maintaining the tongs open and the fulcrum member at the limit of its movement toward said tongs, and adjustable stopping means for limiting the movement of the fulcrum member toward the said tongs carried by the handle adjacent the pivotal end of the fulcrum member.V

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, 

